Forget about the debate concerning the number of teams that should be participating in the College Football Playoffs. Alabama and Clemson are the two best teams in the sport, and that would not have changed if eight teams or even 16 teams had participated in the playoffs.
This is the third time in the last last four seasons that the Crimson Tide (-5.5, per OddsShark) and Tigers are meeting to decide the championship, with each team winning once. They also met in the CFP semifinals a year ago, and Alabama won that meeting.
The primary comparisons involve head coaches Nick Saban and Dabo Swinney, quarterbacks Tua Tagovailoa and Trevor Lawrence, and the running games involving Damien Harris and Travis Etienne.